Tire-inflating mechanism.



E. J. WATSON @l R. P. DOWNEY.

TIRE INFLATNG MBGHANISM.

APPLIOATIONPILBD FEB. 10, 1913. 1,08,983. Patented De@ 30, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

m@ l @f E. i. WATSON & R. F. DUWNEY.

TIRE INPLATING MEGHANISM.

AIPLIOATION FILED FEB. 10, 1913.

1,082,983, I Patented De@.30,1913.

2 SHEETS-SEEET 2.

entran statins l radianti? i ernten EDWARD J. WATSON AND RICHARD r. DoWNiiY, or MILWAUKEE', WISCONSIN; SAID DoWNnY AssIGNon or ONE-HALF or Hrs RIGHT rro WILLIAM o. sIssoN, 0F MIL- WAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

TIRE-INFLATING ivnioHANIsivr.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 10, 1913. Serial No. 747,383.

To all wlwm it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD J. VA'rsoN and RICHARD F. DOwNEY, both citizens of the United States, and residents of hiilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of iVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in '.Iire-Inflating Mechanism; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention has for its object to provide simple, economical and effective means for automatically maintaining a predetermined air pressure within a pneumatic tire, the construction and arrangement being such that by the provision of a relief or pressurecontrollino' valve for the tire a pump-actuat ing means is automatically lstopped and started coincident to variation of air pressure within the tire whereby the pressure is predeterniinedly maintained.

With the above object in view the inven tion consists in certain peculiarities of construction and combination 0f parts as set forth hereinafter with reference to the accoman 'ine drawinofs and-subse uentl t claimed.

Referring by characters to the drawings, 1 represents an axle which is incased within a non-.rotatory housing 2 that has mounted thereon the usual spring 3.

4 represents the'felly` of a wheel` which wheel is mounted upon the axle 1, said felly having the ordinary type of spokes l that are connected tothe hub. Mounted upon the felly is a pneumatic tire 5 of any desired type having an inflating nipple 5 that extends through the wheel felly. Secured to 'by a coiled spring 20, which coiled one of the spokes is a puinp-cylinder 6 having a piston-liead 7 mounted therein, which piston-head is carried by a piston 7 that extends through a suitable gland in the head end of the cylinder. The piston-head is normally held at the bottom end of the cylinder by a coiled spring 8 which 'surrounds the piston and is interposed between the cylinderhead and piston-head as shown. The pump-A cylinder ls also provided with a clieck-valvel 'piston-Ahead 14* having connected thereto a plunger-rod 15 that is suitably guided in a cap 16 that also serves as a retainer for the diaphragm 'tiexible piston 1l. The plungerrod is also supported at its outer end iii'an ear that extends from a bracket 17 which forms part. of the cap, the ear being provided with a thimble 1S which is in threaded union therewith, through which thin'ible the plunger-rod is adapted to slide. .Fuicrumedupon the bracket 17 is a lever 19, the upper free end'of which has extending` therefrom a fulcrum-stud 19. The short arm of the lever 19 also carries a pin 19 which engages a slot in the plunger-rod 15. As shown in Fig, 1, the plunger-rod and its diaphragm are normally forced inwardly against `air pressure contained within the chamber 11 spring is interposed between a shoulderof the plunger-rod and the thiinble 18. whereby said coiled spring may be adjusted as 'to tension. Movementof the lever 19 is limited in either direction by stoplugs 21. 21, that extend from the bracket plage 17. Mounted upon the fulcrum-stud 1 is a fioatine bell-crank lever 22, y,the sha'lnk of said lever being formed `ivy/1th an angular fulcrum slot, 22..

tire and when said pressure is at normalit for seating engagement with the stud. One arin 23 of thefioating lever is connected t0 the pump piston-rod 7 by a pin 23 and link 24C, and, as shown in Fig. 1 of tlie drawings, when the pump-piston is inr its posi- 1 tion .of rest, in which position it is held by the spring; the pin 23 is seated within a crotched ear 25 that extends from the pumpcylinder, this connection being had to permit rock of the floating lever 22 within itscrotched scat, under certain conditions, to'

be hereinafter described. The other arm 26 of the bell-crank lever carries ,an anti-friction roller 26 which is arranged to be en-` gaged by la tappet-shoe 27 t-hat in`th'is instance is shown inthe form of a fixed cam which extends- 'from the housing.

From the foregoing description it is apparent thata predetermined ai'r pressure can 'be maintainedwithin the pneumatic is apparent that the expansive force'thereof will be kerted upon the diaphragm 14 i'n opposition to" the coiled spring 20, which coiled spring is set to yield slightly below normal pressure. Hencethe plunger 15. will 'be forced outwardly, whereby movement will be imparted to the lever 19 in the direci coiled -spring is connected to the bracket 174 tion indicated by the arrow. After a pre-- determined nfi'oveineiit'in` said direction the tappet engagingend of the lever will be quickly thrown forward to the limit of its movement, at which point it will be stopped by the lug 21. This quickmovement of the lever, after it has been positively moved a predetermined distance by the plunger-rod, is effected through a coiled spring 28, -which and lever in such position that it is caused Ato travel across the point of thefulerum of said lever and thus'the spring 'pressure being shifted, will ,complete the movement initially imparted to the-lever by the plungerrod 15. The said movement of the lever, owing to its fulcrurn studlQ being in en'- gagement with the slot 22 will cause the bell-crank lever to rock upon its pin 23", whereby the anti-friction roller ,26' carried at the end pf arm' Q6 will be moved to a positipn'wlier'e it will cleai' the tappet E27 incidental to rotation ot the Wheel. Hence the -entire' apparatus will remain inactive and iii-the before mentioned position` until such "time as the air pressurewithiri thetirewill, through various causes,'iise above normal. Should risc inpressiire takefrlace'. it is apparent that thercliet' or pressure-controlling if'alvefwhieh is set'to open above 'normal pressurc,` will act and thus [permit `the escape of air until such time as the pressure is reduced within the chamber ll, whereby the spring Q0 controlling the plunger-rod l5 will acttto force 'said plunger forward andthus impart movement to the .lever 19, whereby its fulcrum stud 19 will cause the bell-crank lever to assume the position shown in Fig. 1, in which positionits anti-friction roller 26 is moved so as to be engaged by the tappet and hence thereafter witheach 'rotation of the wheel the bell-crank lever will be oscillated upon its fulcrum-stud to cause a pumping operation, which operation is continuous until the desired amount of air pressure has been supplied,to again restore the a pump-actuatingbbell-crank having one end adapted to be brought into and out of eil-- gagementwith the tappet; the combination of a shiftable pivot-stud for the bell-crank lever, and pneumatically controlled means `for shiftingvthe stud in one direction.

2. In a wheel having a pneumatic tire, a pump in communication witlrthe tire carried by the wheel, a fixed tappet-shoe, and a pump-actuating bell-crank lever having one end adapted to be broughtinto and out of engagement with the tappeti; thecombination of a'pneumatically controlled shiftable fulcri'im stud for the bell-crank lever, and a.

coiled spring for accelerating movement of' said stud in 'either direction.

3. In a wheel having a pneumatic tire, a pump in communication with the tire carried'by the wheel, a fixed tap ctv-shoe, and,

a pump-actuatingbell-crank ever having one end adapted to be brought into and out of engagement with the tappet; the bellcrank lever being provided with a slot; the,

combination of'a fulcrum stud for the bellcrank leverfengageable with the slot, and pneumatically controlled actuating mechanism for shifting the .position 0f the fulerum stud in saidslot. j l' 4. In a Wheel having a pneumatic tire, a

pump in communication with the tire cara pump-actuating bell-crank ever having one end adaptedto be brought into and. out

et' engagement with the tappet; the combination of a pivoted lever, a fiilcrum-stud for .ried by the wheel, a fixed tap et-shoe, and

the bell-crank carried by the pivoted lever,

a Acoiled spring having one end fixed and its oppositeend in connection with the lever, the coiled spring being adapted to travel across the pivot point of said lever, whereby its movement is accelerated, stop-pins forv sai pivoted lever, 4a'no'l a pneumatica-ily of Wisconsin in the presence of two witcontroiled actuating means for the aforesaid nesses. 'pvoteci lever whereby initial movement is 1* EDWARD J. WATSON. lniparted to the same to shlft the positlon l 5 of the bell-crank fulcrum stud. RICHARD F' DQWNEY' In testimony that we ola-im the, foregoing Wtnessesz' we have hereunto set our hands at Milwau- GEO. W'. YOUNG,

kee in the county of Milwaukee and State M. E. DOWNEY. 

